The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-30
lie Goes to His Office in the Treasury Build
ing Every Day, but Is Unable to Even
Sign His Name Without Assistance.
A COlOred Man Who Yields a Potent In
fuence Among the Knights Of Labor.
lDuiet and Successful Revival Work in the
Brooklyn Tabernacle Under the Guidance
ofLW. Munhall and Rev. DR.. Talmage.
SECRETARY MANNING.
His Health Is Completely Wrecked, and There
Is but Little Hope of Recovery.

His Health Is Completely Wrecked, and There
Is but Little Hope of Recovery.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
New YORK, Jan. 80 was in Washington
this week and found the politicians there as
much puzzled as the financial men in this city
are over the retention of Secretary Manning in
the Cabinet Not because President Cleveland
could find better Secretary of the Treasury
than Secretary Manning would be if his health
was restored, but because it is now no longer a
secret that he is physical wreck, with very lit
tie hope if he continues in Office aud tries to
perform its duties. that he will ever recover.
The personal sacrifice he is required to make is.
nnder the circums tances greater than any man
ought to be called upon for.
! say that his sad physical condition is no lon
ger a secret, but confess that l did not fully
realize the true state of affairs until had been
in Washington several days and seen and heard
things that had not got into the newspapers
His appearance at the Presidents reception last
week painful spectacle to his friends, who
had not seen him before, lately, but not less so
than the anxiety, which she could not conceal,
of Mrs. Manning, who watched him with the
most tender solicitude all the time he remained,
and seemed hardly able to keep her place in the
line of the receiving party when he painfully
withdrew. day or two later Secretary Man.
ming gave a dinner party, and solemn oc-
casion it was. One of the guests described
him as sitting at the head of the table almost
picture Of death, grim determination to 60
through the evening and do the honors credita-
bly, being written on every feature of his coun
tenance
=. a. I,.x
really himself transacts very little of the gov
eminent business. Assistant Secretary Fairchld
and Solicitor. general jerks keep the machine
running, and they are both very competent Of
Acals Ii is said that very little of the annual
Treasury report sent to Congress last month
was the Secretarys work. Those portions re-
lating to the routine affairs of the department
were prepared by the two gentlemen I have al
ready na,ced, and those relating to the more
weighty matters of policy are attributed to
Sidney Webster. OF course, the whole was
reaHto Secretary Manning and had his approval
but he was not then, and is not now, equal to the
continued labor necessary for the preparation
of such state paper.
Secretary Manning does not even affx his sig
nature to official papers. The Attorney general
has given an opinion that fac-simile of his
name, stamped where it should be written meets
! the requirements of the law, and clerk, in the
presence of the Secretary, stamps his name
where his predecessors have written it. / had
heard of this, but 1 supposed, until went to
Washington that this expedient had been re-
sorted to to save the Secretary from a fatiguing
duty that has proved heavy tax upon men in
robust health. But the fact is that, without as
sistance, Mr.. Manning is unable to write
his name. very prominent gentleman having
business with the Treasury Department received
some official papers from the Secretary's office
the other day which did not even have Mr.. Man
nings name stamped upon them. He sent his
private secretary back with them with request
for the signature. Mr.. Manning, supposing that
the gentleman particular to have the writ
ten name, said that hs would try to accommo
date him. So the pen was placed between the
Secretary's fingers, ana then his clerk, taking
hold of his hand, guided it over the paper.
Secretary Manning is the victim of system
that is radically wrong, one that requires thu
head Of department to perform a vast amour
of routine work that ought to be completed BY
men in subordinate positions. If the Secretar!
Of the Treasury simply wrote his name upon al
the papers that are, IN theory, supposed TO rep
resent his personal action, it would be enough
to give him writer's cramp in six months. Blu
conscientious man is unwilling to sign paper
OF which he has net at least vague idea of tn
contents, and it was the vain effort to know
something of the business he was transactn
and still not neglect the social and other dutie
of his ros:tien that broke down Secretary Man
ning's hea,sa. 1t will break down the health O
any men vho does not possess an iron constitu
ton The men of ordinary physical strengt
who have been able to stand the strain simpl
didn't do the work. 2. L. WHITE.
DELEGATE EERROI.